Under Dodd-Frank, registered swap dealers (SDs) and major swap participants (MSPs) are required to become members of a registered futures association, such as the NFA or the CFTC.  In addition, Section 4s of the Commodity Exchange Act requires registered SDs and MSPs to meet specific requirements with regard to, among other things, capital and margin; reporting and recordkeeping; daily trading records; business conduct standards; documentation standards; trading duties; and designation of a chief compliance officer.  Registered member firms will be examined by the NFA for compliance with multiple substantive regulatory requirements (Section 4s Implementing Regulations).  During the recent NFA Member Regulatory Conference held in New York City, members of the NFA and other industry experts discussed best practices in compliance training, testing and monitoring, and SD and MSP reporting requirements.  This article, the first in a two-part series, highlights the main points regarding the NFA’s examination process and NFA expectations concerning member training programs, compliance monitoring and testing.  The second article will review upcoming examination focus areas; NFA investigations; the Section 4s Implementing Regulation review process; and filings required from SDs and MSPs.  For more on SDs and MSPs, see “CFTC Extends Annual Report Deadline for Futures Commission Merchants, Registered Swap Dealers and Major Swap Participants,” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 8, No. 14 (Apr. 9, 2015).